The Guardian Ragnarok
by G-AnakinRPG
Summary: The true strength of humanity's power - she would do everything to protect what she loves.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own FFXIII - I wish I did because this would be the ending :D

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**The Guardian Ragnarok**

Orphan arose slowly from the pool of magic; the blade that was his lower body dripping with the liquid as its snake like tail wrapped around it, ready to spew its deadly acids and gaseous smoke at the l'Cie who dare stand against it. The light reflected off the surface in light purple - then exploded as red tendrils of energy burst forward, twisting and turning with the shockwaves emitted from the god's body. The shockwave hit the l'Cie - Hope and Vanille cried out in shock and pain as Lightning raised her arms in front of herself in defense. _Grin and bear it_, she thought, as the magical energy assaulted the l'Cie.

She couldn't take it, and they fell back - they hit the ground hard, exhausted, not able to move. They had been beaten - the fal'Cie had won. They were all crying out in pain at the onslaught; only Fang still stood, propped up on her spear as she dug it into the metallic floor of Orphan's Cradle - but even she could not hold back cries of exasperation and pain. Then, her vision went white.

She awoke moments later to see Orphan hovering above her as it spoke in its dual voice - masculine and feminine combined, the orchestrator of Cocoon's destruction and the being that had toyed and played with humanity for millennia. They spoke as if bragging; Orphan had orchestrated things to this very moment - it had won.

"Have you ever paused to considered our reason for making l'Cie of men?" the voices asked, as the remains of Barthandelus's wretched, metallic hand began to wave as if churning up magical energies to crush the l'Cie all from existence. Its red eyes gleamed as if evil - it wasn't, Fang knew. It was nothing more than a selfish bastard. Orphan continued, Fang's thoughts unnoticed as if they were nothing to it. "We fal'Cie are crafted for a single purpose, and granted finite power to that end."

The female aspect of Orphan hissed as its golden wings danced behind it as if it were a jester dancing to his king's order of execution. "With men it is not so," the mystical voices continued, as Fang and some of the others began to pull themselves up, the magical onslaught a thing of the past. Orphan continued, telling the l'Cie the truth of the world in which they live. "Men dream, aspire, and through an indomitable force of will achieve the impossible. Your power is beyond measure."

Lightning awoke as she heard this - yes, their power was beyond measure. _Orphan, you haven't won yet_, her heart cried with joy before the mammoth fal'Cie continued. "We take l'Cie that we might yield such strength. Through you, we obtained freedom from our bondage. And now, your Focus alone remains." His finger began to gather red magic, Pregentorial Wrath, as he threatened the l'Cie with his truth. "Defy it, and all will be for naught - Cocoon's sacrifice, and that of Gran Pulse as well."

As he spoke, Vanille screeched in pain as his magic captured her in its grip. She fell to the ground, clutching her head as she felt as if it were soon to burst - Fang cried out to her. _Dammit! Not Vanille! _Her heart cried. Vanille began to rise into the air as she trembled in agony - Orphan continued. "Yet, if we but summon the Maker, we will be given the chance to begin again. All our sins, absolved, and the world - born anew!"

Barthandelus's remnants of eyes burst with energy as his magic climaxed, causing Vanille to cry in agony as her body writhed in the air. "Submit l'Cie," Orphan demanded. "Become Ragnarok! Lead us into the light!"

Throughout Orphan's rant, Fang was in a panic. "Stop it!" she cried, anything to save Vanille; she would do it. After a fresh outburst of agony from Vanille, Fang raged, "Let her go!"

Orphan scoffed at her. "We have no need of flawed l'Cie."

_I'm sorry Vanille, _Fang thought. _I have to. _Then she spoke, eyes determined and a voice with the power to tame monsters that could trample her like a twig. She would give the fal'Cie what he wanted. "Orphan! I'll do it! I'll destroy you!"

The fal'Cie grinned as Vanille hit the ornate metallic floor with a thud. Fang began to rush to Vanille's side, but held herself as the others gathered around the younger woman; she faced Orphan as the fal'Cie began to speak. "Ragnarok," the dual voices said. "The will to guide a world unto oblivion. Can you bear the sin of our salvation?"

Lightning hissed from behind. _Guide the world to oblivion - try it! These are our powers - we will stop you! _

Lightning glanced to Fang to see her head hung slightly in shame - then, the Pulsian woman made up her mind. "You heard me! I said I'll do it!" she said confidently.

"You can't!" Vanille cried from the floor, staring at her closest friend, tears barely holding themselves within her eyes - _after all we've been through; Cocoon can't be destroyed! _Her heart screamed. "I'll be fine! And you can't forget our promise! We promised to save Cocoon! We promised!" she cried and begged to Fang, her hands barely holding her upright on the floor. She gasped in surprise and Fang's lance appeared in front of her face.

She looked to Fang in awe and fear as the older woman spoke. "I made another promise too - to protect my family."

All the others were staring at Fang; what was she going on about? Fang was standing above Vanille now. "Fang?" Snow asked; he knew what she was about to do, and he darted forward.

"Sometimes . . . you gotta choose!" Fang cried as she swung her weapon at the girl, only to be stopped as Snow grabbed her lance and Sazh wrapped his arms around her waist as Vanille cowered in shock and utter fear. "Back off!" Fang hissed in Snow's face as he roared in hers, "What are you doing!" They struggled for control of the lance as Sazh was jerked around, his hands wrapped around the woman's legs. "This ain't the time to be losing it lady!" he said through gritted teeth. "You too, huh?" Fang asked; why didn't they get it. If she could kill Vanille, she would never become a Cie'th and she would fulfill the girl's wish - Cocoon would be saved!

"What do you gain from hurting Vanille," Lightning asked as both she and Hope stood on weak legs to guard the girl from Fang's lunacy. _What is she thinking? _Lightning thought. _Dying is not the way to protect Cocoon - he'll only try again and again. We'll end this here; our powers are infinite!_

"We're in this together," she stated - hasn't that been proven by now?

Fang relaxed for a moment, seemingly taken out of her frenzy long enough for the others to calm down. Then she spoke, resolved to carry through her decision. "This is my Focus! No one is going to stop me!" she cried as she spun, kicking Snow clear across the room, ripping her weapon from his grip while Sazh was knocked over in the short tussle.

Fang turned, looking Lightning in the eyes as she prepared her weapon - _this is the only way,_ she thought as she launched herself into the air.

_What is she doing? _Lightning thought as she saw Fang flying into the air - then Fang collapsed from above, glowing with an orange rainbow of magical energy as her lance impaled the ground. Then, Lightning saw white.

After a moment, Fang cried in anguish at the sight of all her friends, save Vanille, as Cie'th. "Everything I do - why? Is this what you meant to happen?" she raged to Orphan as her late friends rose around her. "All of 'em . . ." she mourned as Orphan laughed.

"After all we went through . . ." Vanille moaned in anguish, falling to the ground in tears.

Fang stood, resigned to her fate, and sighed as the Cie'th approached her. The first swing of skeletal arms hit her, knocking the breath from her body - then, in tandem, the four Cie'th swung at her, repeatedly smashing her between them. Vanille cried in shock and fear; Fang looked her in the eyes as the Cie'th offered her a brief respite. "I guess I deserve it, after what I did," she breathed out through damaged lungs and broken chest. Her words were stopped as a vicious strike struck her face, knocking her off balance. She coughed up blood as she propped herself on her lance.

She fell to the floor as she asked herself, "Are they my sin to bear for choosing salvation?" She coughed up blood and her bones ached as the first tears slipped down her face - it wasn't supposed to be like this. All the six of them should have perished; not become Cie'th.

"Please . . . stop!" Vanille cried from the floor, begging whatever remnants might remain of her friends as the Cie'th began to pound Fang into the metal that she now lay upon. After a moment, they piled upon her - Vanille sniffled as tears fell. Fang couldn't have survived.

"Stop it!" Vanille cried out the demand, tears dripping freely as a waterfall, to the grand fal'Cie, Orphan. The voices laughed in amusement, the remains of Barthandelus laughing as if things were still going their way; Vanille continued crying. "Give them back!" she begged.

Her head snapped up as she heard Fang's brand roar with magical power - then the Cie'th flew into the air as the older woman stood, her blue brand burning orange she glared with all the malice she could muster at the fal'Cie. She screamed in exertion as her brand shined and she allowed her hatred to overtake her further - her brand re-awoke and she fell to the floor in pain as magic burst from it as if it were fire. The fal'Cie spoke: "Salvation is born of sacrifice - miracles, of misery." As the mystic voices spoke, Fang was changing - her magic expanding and engulfing her; her infinite power emerging. She stood, her powers now limited only to what she could desire. "From shattered shards, a new crystal legend will arrive," the fal'Cie continued as Ragnarok reared its legs to launch itself at the fal'Cie, Orphan's hand reaching out to offer his own life to death.

Ragnarok roared as it ran and jumped at the fal'Cie, only to be blocked by its protective energy field, the barrier that the fal'Cie was forced to use in order to protect itself as ordered by the Maker. She rebounded, flying back to where Vanille sat in awe - then, Ragnarok exploded with power and roared as all the anger and hatred it could muster filled it's heart.

"Yes!" Orphan roared, as Ragnarok glowed ethereally and attacked once again. "Let anger be your strength!" Ragnarok landed on and ripped its claws into the barrier, digging into it to hold itself up as it growled and roared and hit the barrier with everything it had. Orphan laughed with glee. "Despair! Despair and save us all!"

Ragnarok's head broke through the barrier and its claws began to rip through it - it shattered as Orphan roared with joy: "Lo! The Day of Wrath is come!"

But Fang was too weak, and her powers as Ragnarok dissipated - anger was not a powerful enough emotion for her; it wasn't anger that had driven her this far. It was love - for her family.

"Yet again," Orphan muttered, as Fang rustled and moaned in pain along the floor. "How many times must you fail?" he said as the feminine part of him cast a curing spell upon Fang that awoke her from near death; she slowly struggled to consciousness, her head beating to the point of bursting. She struggled as Orphan's magic bound her hands and pulled her mercilessly into the air, to rest in front of him, so that they were eye to eye.

"Let me go," she begged weakly. She had given up; she was a broken l'Cie - she had murdered her friends and failed in something as simple of becoming Ragnarok and killing Orphan to complete the betrayal.

"Retake the form of Ragnarok," the fal'Cie ordered sternly; no more games. "Deliver us that which we have too long been denied." Then his hand lit and Fang screamed in agony as Pregentorial Wrath brought her to the point of death, her body seizing and convulsing against her will as fire and lightning burned through her veins. The fire left her body and she sighed in relief as the feminine part of Orphan once again cast it potent healing magic. "What do you want?" Fang asked, her will gone; she knew what he was going to do. Torture her into becoming Ragnarok, or make her insane trying. Or, worse yet, force Vanille to take her place when the younger girl could no longer stand the sight of her suffering, being brought to the brink of death and back, again and again.

And he did; her body erupted in pain and immediately she was healed - physically; mentally, she could feel herself falling apart already. _I'm sorry Vanille_, her heart cried along with her eyes as they dripped crystals of despair. No matter what she did, she would not be able to become Ragnarok - it was up to Vanille to take her fate. She had failed.

And then, again, was the roaring pain as he spoke: "Steep yourself in hatred. Let it infuse your soul with the strength it craves."

Vanille stood, approaching the hulking fal'Cie, walking slowly, carefully, each step calculated as she would end her life and that of humanity.

Orphan glanced to her, then smirked as well as his metallic face would allow. "Your awakening demands an offering of pain!"

Fang turned the last of her energy to Vanille. "Vanille . . . run." she said.

Vanille was defiant. "No! I swore that I wouldn't run away anymore! I'd rather fight and lose than give up without fighting! We won't destroy Cocoon - we'll destroy Orphan and save it!"

Orphan laughed, but then cried out in anger as crystal blue energy erupted from behind Vanille as Lightning approached. "Light!" Vanille cried in surprise, tears of joy dripping down her face. "How are you . . . I thought you had become a Cie'th!"

"No," Lightning answered, retrieving her discarded blade from the ground. "It was nothing more than fal'Cie smoke and mirrors - like everything else about them. It took a while to realize it was a fantasy, but I knew when you were prepared to die for Cocoon that this was real - that we will save Cocoon!" She glared to Orphan. "He told us that our powers are infinite - they are! I can feel it! Come on!" she yelled to open air. "Wake up! It's nothing more than fal'Cie trickery - Hope, Snow, Sazh! You're not Cie'th. You're human - the infinitely powerful being that will save Cocoon and free itself from fal'Cie machinations."

After several moments, they returned, Hope first, appearing from thin air and their Cie'th counterparts disappearing - they felt their bodies, making sure they were still alive before they joined Lightning in glaring out Orphan.

Lightning glanced to Fang, still hung in her torturer's silent grip. "Fang!" she called. "Do you understand why you failed? It's because hate and anger are not emotions - they're feelings. We're l'Cie - beings of infinite power. Ragnarok is ours - and I say he's a being of emotion! Power him with them! Real emotions - like love! I want to protect all of you," she cried to the heavens. "And Serah. And Dajh. And all the citizens of Cocoon! That's why we will win!" she yelled, brandishing her blade at Orphan.

Suddenly, she felt Odin, a messenger of Etro, stir within her – she heard his whisper: "Yes! That's it! End the cycle of the fal'Cie controlling humans as tools - destroy it and free yourselves! Use love - protect the things you cherish!"

She cried in exertion as she felt a pleasant ice spread from her chest, her l'Cie brand. Suddenly, she felt herself bursting with the blue magic as Odin's power engulfed her - she felt naked for a mere moment, but it ended as her clothing was replaced with armor - light armor of metallic color that protected her but allowed complete mobility. She felt feathers tickle her legs as their magic power flowed into her - she was wearing Odin now, and with it, the power of a goddess. The true strength of humanity's power - she would do _everything _to protect what she loves.

"Orphan," she cried, demanding the attention of the twisted being. "What you desire is at an end. Cocoon will not be destroyed – Etro does not wish it."

Orphan laughed, amused, as he tossed Fang away as trash only to be caught in Snow's awaiting arms as he rushed under her; Vanille was quickly at her side, along with Hope. "Is that so, Ragnarok? You will now destroy me to save your friends, and in doing so, you will destroy Cocoon and all of the life within it - calling the Maker in the process as she feels her children slaughtered on this ancient alter of sacrifice which has long awaited the shedding of human blood."

Lighting's face was still as she walked forward. "She would never desire her children murdered in some foolish attempt to return her to our realm. I don't know why she left, but I _know _that she cares for us – all of us! You are only destroying everything she stands for."

Orphan roared with rage. "Foolish human! Always, you overstep your bounds! Learn you place!" the warped being wailed as the magic of death roared through the air at Lighting. She raised her blade as light and feathers surrounded her and space and time erupted in dark blood around her. She effortlessly fought back the tangible hatred as she continued approaching the orphan. It cried in outrage, and swung its massive clawed hand at the female Ragnarok. Lightning gestured and the feathered magic shielded her from the force of the onslaught.

"Yes!" Orphan cried as he continued his fruitless onslaught. "Destroy me now!"

_Yes, I will destroy you!_ Lightning thought as her friends gathered around her: Fang fit, healed and ready for revenge; Snow eager to fulfill his love's dying wish of saving Cocoon and protecting his 'sis'; Hope ready to protect her as he had promised all those life times ago in the turmoil of Palumpolum; Sazh ready for this to be over – to protect his friends and get his son back, once and for all.

And Vanille, ready to wipe her slate of guilt. Ready to fulfill the responsibility she had refused centuries ago.

Lightning knew each and every one of them had her back. She dropped her defenses as she rushed at Orphan, angelic sword in hand as she impacted the fal'Cie, not even hesitating as she crashed through the magical barrier he was obligated by design to raise. Orphan cried with glee and anguish as she tore into him as he focused all his hatred into magic, shattering the world around Lightning. She back-flipped, dodging most of it, but still suffering intense damage that she only survived by Etro's power surrounding her. She shrugged off the wounds, not worrying about it. She knew her allies would handle it for her as she made holy magic roar down from the heavens - and they did, pleasant warmth flowing through her body as Hope healed her wounds.

She ran forward as the magic bombarded the fal'Cie from above – she could feel time warp around her as she ripped through space, her blade drawn as she tackled the creature. She ripped through layer upon layer of metallic flesh before cart wheeling out of the way to dodge viscous poison gas from the serpent. She fired her gun into the wounds she had just opened causing Orphan to cry in agony, giving her allies the opportunity to attack. Snow further aggravated the open wound by casting an array of magic as Fang launched herself into the air. Snow followed suit as he jumped into above Orphan, opening a line of fire for Sazh as he unloaded his connected guns as if it were a machine gun, shredding the metal in and around the opening at Orphan's center.

Lightning froze, retreating as she heard Hope cry in despair.

"Vanille!" the teen cried as he rushed to the older girl – she was defenseless from Orphan's attack, deep in concentration as she powered her most potent spell. She opened her eyes in shock and fear as Lightning appeared in front of her to take the spell for her, feathers around her as a barrier. She effortlessly deflected the magic as a roar of anguish tore through the chamber, Orphan's body being lacerated as Fang and Snow dropped from the heavens with all their might.

Vanille smiled as Lightning landed gracefully in front of her. _Finally_, she thought, as she released her magic. _It's over, and they're all safe._

The magic burst from within the god-like being, the blood-orange light ripping the fal'Cie apart from within. "Yes!" Orphan cried for a final time through the pain as he began to sink beneath the surface of the pool.

The l'Cie shared a quick smile as Lightning approached the stagnant pool. She looked to each of her friends with a meaningful glance. "This is it - the moment for which these brands marked us. They're the symbol of the Focus we all faced and the fate we defied together; proof of the promise we all made: to save Cocoon!" she cried, hand gripped over her brand as it glowed with recognition – it wasn't a curse, but a gift.

Snow looked into her eyes as he spoke. "The heroes never die. We've got a world to save," he said, knowing in his heart he would fulfill Serah's wish – there would be no 'die trying.'

Hope spoke to quell the unease that was filling each of their hearts: "If we have the power to destroy Cocoon, then we have the power to save it. You say you want your Day of Wrath, do you? Well it's coming right up!" he hollered, for the first time in his young life full of confidence.

They all nodded in agreement to Hope's declaration before Sazh spoke. "Time to give the people what they really want." _Freedom._

"We can do it; I know we can! We've made it this far," Vanille said, as it set in for certain – humanity would be free from fal'Cie rule this day.

"Right," Lightning murmured. "A miracle will happen today."

Vanille looked to Fang hopefully, forcing a smile out of the older woman as she stepped forward. "Lady Luck sure ain't on his side," Fang said with certainty as she joined Lightning in the vanguard, her weapon drawn not for revenge but love – for Vanille and her new family, she would give her all to protect Cocoon.

The l'Cie were ready as feminine laughter filled the chamber and golden light erupted from Barthandelus's grave. She rose from the pool – first a small sphere of a face, then a pure golden circle with sharp, ornate spikes and dozens of small golden circles with their own faces gracefully turning along the outer ring. The main circle turned as if a gear of a clock as she turned upright, her visage facing the party and haunting eyes opening as she spoke: "You overreach yourselves."

"No, we overreach you," Lightning stated calmly.

"Is that so, Ragnarok?" Orphan humored her.

"You don't believe in anything," Lightning continued, stepping forward. "You gave up on life before you were even born – you sat poisoning Cocoon from the inside, waiting for someone to come and destroy you. Sure, you think the end of the world is salvation. All you care about is death's release. So take it, and leave the rest of us alone! We don't think like that; when we think there's no hope left, we keep looking until we find some," she stated, as she heard her allies prepare for the final battle of their previous Focus and the first and only battle of their new Focus. "Maybe Cocoon is past saving, but it's our home. We'll protect it – there's no try! We live to make the impossible possible! That is our Focus!" she stated, her own weapon now ready for the fateful battle that they had already won by will alone.

Orphan roared in rage, the first bit of fear trickling into her soul. Humanity, to the last, would defy its superiors. It hardly mattered, she thought as she gave a wicked grin. Soon, they would destroy her and her wish to return the Maker to this world would be complete. "Destroy humanity by your own hand and let our Maker return!" she roared. "Does eternity not entice you?"

"Find you own road to hell!" Lightning hollered over her as she attacked, only to have her weapon reflected.

"Destroy me, l'Cie!" the being roared.

"Break the barrier!" Lightning cried to her friends as Odin's Zantetsuken appeared in her hands, her own weapon disappearing into nothingness. She spun the weapon as a baton, bursts of lightning launching from the tip like hydrogen flares from fal'Cie Phoenix's core. She dodged a swipe of an intangible hand from Orphan, cutting at it with a back hand swipe. She sprang forward, splitting the weapon in two down the center, both hands now gripping electric swords. She cut into the monstrosity's face, knowing she was now damaging it as her allies bombarded it with elemental and debilitating magic. She crossed the blades in front her, then pulled them apart, rubbing them together. The energy created by the friction of the electric blades shot forward in a massive blast, striking the fal'Cie. She back flipped to avoid one last bombardment of Orphan's magic as her allies ran forward as a supernova ignited her former location. Snow and Fang launched the fal'Cie into the air as the others rained down attacks like their own army.

Lightning jumped into the air and let Odin's power fill her – she could feel the electricity flow through her like her own blood. The energy crackled around her as she released the blades from her hands. They twisted and twirled around her as electricity controlled them like marionettes. The energy sparkled and crackled until the blades were above her like a lightning rod. She sighed as the last of the supercharged ions left her body and into the blades; she reached up to grab them, separated them and then catapulted the energy down into the fal'Cie that was dangling in mid air as her allies retreated to avoid her attack. The energy struck Orphan with massive force, searing through and charring her frame as it pushed her back down into the magic pool beneath – the electric energy lighting the pool with its tendrils, making it a pool of electric death.

As the electricity began to subside, Orphan rose one last time.

"Just die already," Lightning said as she landed gracefully on the ground, as she threw the weapon, now reconnected at the center. It hit, splitting at the middle as rose petals filled the surrounding air before disappearing from sight.

Orphan screamed in agony as it began to glow purple and eyes shined gold. The party began to relax; they had finally done it, they knew, as Orphan began to burst with magic and shrink in on herself while roaring: "Yes, yes! It has finally come . . .!"

"We're here to stop him. We've come to save Cocoon?" Lightning asked no one in particular, though she was answered by unanimous 'rights!'. In this moment of truth – how would they truly save Cocoon?

Suddenly, they were floating in the air somewhere high above the city of Eden. _Right,_ Lightning thought – Orphan's world was only metaphysical. Her teammates gasped as the lights of Cocoon began to dim and its sunlight, the fal'Cie Phoenix, go out. _Cocoon really is dying,_ Lightning thought without a hint of despair. She knew she could save it.

They were all glowing – turning slowly to crystal as they floated aimlessly in Cocoon's atmosphere as it began to slowly fall to the hell of Pulse. "Stay together," Lightning cried out. None of them could do this alone.

"Hey, grab my hand!" Sazh said to Hope, whom had begun to unintentionally wander off. After a moment's struggle the six were all linked by hands in a circle.

"So, this is how it ends," Fang said with a hint of sadness. "Well, at least when we wake up to an empty world, we'll all be together." Vanille nodded, trying her best to hide her tears of guilt – they had been so close.

"No!" Lightning cried. "We can't allow this!" she said, letting go of Fang's and Hope's hands, beginning to drift off by herself – the look she gave Fang said exactly what she needed to say. She jerked as a large weight hit her body – Hope.

"No, Light! Don't!" he cried, arms wrapped around her waist, having let go of Sazh's hand in a desperate bid to stop her from sacrificing herself.

"Dammit, Hope!" Lightning said, not quite angry. It touched her, but she couldn't let it happen. "Fang! Grab him!" she cried as she threw the boy up to the woman whom she knew would understand – it had to be her. She was the one with the power and she knew that with her care for her friends, she could make the impossible possible.

Fang nodded, not without sadness, but it had to be done. One of them had to do it – why not the one who was sure to succeed. She and Sazh grabbed the boy's hand, reconnecting the chain as Lightning drifted off, feathers beginning to grow to offer her flight.

Fang looked to Vanille. The younger girl nodded, then spoke aloud. "We need to give her our power and our wishes – close your eyes and just believe she can do it! Wishes can come true! Miracles can happen! We want this to happen so we'll make it happen! We did all of this to save Cocoon! Just promise yourself that Cocoon will be saved and it will happen!" The other l'Cie nodded and in the distance, they could see Lightning begin to glow.

Lightning sighed a breath similar to relief as she felt their wishes come into her – this was what she needed. Though she would be the one sacrificed, she couldn't do it alone. This is what she has learned since becoming a l'Cie and it is this that will save Cocoon. She closed her eyes, and then she was outside of Cocoon, below it, looking up at the large falling mass that had begun to build up burning friction. She trembled at the slow trickling of her body beginning to crystallize and she knew how she was going to save Cocoon. The friction was so much heat that the bottom of Cocoon and the surface immediately below on Gran Pulse had begun to melt. She reached out her thoughts and began to control the liquid earth, creating a pillar, then she launched herself at the molten pillar, becoming a part of it and it apart of her - her crystalline body becoming a part of it and including it. Along with her, the pillar began to harden and she became liquid as she molded the crystallizing substance as simple as if she were breathing.

Then she heard of whisper: _Make your mark, my legacy_, a feminine voice said. Lightning knew it was the goddess, Etro; the one who wanted to spare humanity from the sacrifice that the fal'Cie had spent millennia to prepare for. So she did, molding herself into the crystal of Cocoon, which, should humanity survive, will always stand as a piece of art of their savior. She and Odin, the saviors of Cocoon eternally fighting those that would harm humanity. Protecting humanity as she has protected her friends.

* * *

_Wake up, _Hope heard her whisper in his ear as he felt his blood begin to flow and moist morning air hit his bare body. Then he felt the ticklish warmth of clothing as it appeared. After taking a moment to reorient himself with the world of the living, he spotted the others nearby: Snow, Sazh, Vanille and Fang. The five of them could do little more than stare up at the magnificent structure Lightning had created when she saved humanity.

"She did it," Vanille cried, too excited to show a drop of emotion other than relief, as she gripped Fang's arm. "She did it!" She cried. "She saved the world."

_No, we all did it_, Lightning thought.

"No," Snow said with remorse and relief. "No, she gave us a new one."

"That's one gift I'll forgive her for not wrapping," Sazh joked to break the silence. Hope giggled with a cute 'yeah' that was full of relief and longing for Lightning to be by their side.

_This is all we can do – the rest is up to humanity. We gave them another chance . . ._

"Does this mean we completed our Focus?" Hope asked.

Snow answered, "Cocoon has seen better days, that's for sure."

"Yeah," Sazh said, throwing in his two cents. "I'd say that qualifies for a demolition. Focus complete."

"No," Fang said. "That's not the Focus we completed."

"We saved the world!" Vanille finished.

"Yeah?" Hope asked. "I guess you're right, isn't she Light?" he asked, hoping she could hear.

_Exactly._

"We did it! We made a miracle happen! I knew it!" Vanille cried.

She turned as she heard Hope gasp. "What is -?" She began to ask but gasped at the sight.

"My brand; it's gone!" he said, inspecting his wrist.

All the l'Cie excitedly checked their brands at the announcement and a collective sigh of joy escaped all of them – even Fang's burnt brand was gone. They were normal.

"I thought something was up," Fang muttered with a smile. "I remember this feeling – Etro had something to do with this. She saved us from destroying Cocoon last time, gave Lightning those powers . . . now, she saved us," she said, looking into the sky for some sign of her.

_Thanks, Etro – you've come through where the others of your kind wouldn't, _Lightning spoke for her.

Suddenly, they heard Snow gasp and run off – Serah and Dajh were approaching. Sazh was quickly behind, the chocobo chick just ahead.

"Look there," Serah whispered to the boy, indicating his father and the other l'Cie. The boy rushed toward his father as Snow rushed toward her, capturing her in a hug.

_Serah . . . I'm sorry. I trust Snow to take care of you._

"Daddy!" Dajh cried as he ran into Sazh's awaiting arms as they laughed with joy.

"You're alright, right?" Snow asked Serah. She nodded. "I'm . . . sorry," he continued, cradling her. "Lightning . . ."

"I know," she said sadly. "She saved the world . . ."

_Thank you, Serah. Be happy._

Hope rushed over, but stopped short of the reunited. Lightning was nowhere to be found. "She gone, isn't she?" he asked the Pulsian women who were at his side. Vanille wrapped her arm around him. "I guess she meant for this to be goodbye – but then again, we've changed fate before . . . what do you say?"

"Easy there, kid," Fang scolded lightly. "We need to rest up first – then we'll find some way to save Light."

"Yep!" Vanille said happily. Lightning – her last bit of guilt. They would save her.

_Thank you._

Then she drifted off into eternal sleep.

* * *

**A/N:**

**1.** I took some liberties with the mythology because we don't know much about it. Leave a note in the review if you, like me, hope we get all the answers in the FFXIII sequel :D

**2.** Thanks to jlbassmaster, Hiroko-Bunny and Darkgirl5 as my beta readers : D

**Tell me what you think - I had a lot of fun with this idea. I personally think Lightning would be better off as Ragnarok than Vanille/Fang. I hope I thoroughly explained why above :D Please, commnet about what ever my story inspired you to think.**


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